4th - 6th October 2021

Wednesday, 6th October: A fine and bright morning in a brisk north-westerly breeze.....

Our thanks to BI for keeping things running so well during our absence. (Eds)

Selsey Bill:  The first two Siskins went over west among a mix of other migrants, including a very late Sand Martin, 23 House Martins and 96 Swallows, whilst a Wheatear and a Rock Pipit were along the beach. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/AH/AW)
(0725-0905hrs) (NW, F5) 

Gannet - 3W

Brent Goose - 15W

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 2w, 9 present

Mediterranean Gull - 16W

Kittiwake - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Swallow - 96W

Sand Martin - 1W

House Martin - 23W

Rock Pipit - 1

Meadow Pipit - 348W

Yellow Wagtail - 3W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 51W

Wheatear - 1

Siskin - 2W

Linnet - 40W

Goldfinch - 115W

Swallow (above), House Martin & Rock Pipit at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There was a selection of birds present on the high tide, including two Greenshanks, four Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, 25 Mediterranean Gulls, 35 Shovelers, two Shelducks and a dozen Teal. (AH)

Greenshanks (above), Avocets and Shovelers & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: At least eight Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, along with c30 Mediterranean Gulls, four Knot, four Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Grey Plovers and c150 Dunlin, with a few Teal and Wigeon also about.

Also, a few Chiffchaffs were in the sheltered hedges, along with a little flock of Long-tailed Tits. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Grey Plovers (above), Dunlins & Long-tailed Tits at Church Norton (AH)

This evening a Barn Owl was briefly over the Severals, whilst there were at least 400 hirundines - mainly Swallows, up over the back of the second Several, with more over the churchyard area. (AW/AH)

Barn Owl (AW) (above) & Swallow (AH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Oakhurst Farm to Ham viewpoint - A walk this morning produced three Common Buzzards, a Kestrel, five Pied Wagtails, 80 Meadow Pipits and 50 Goldfinch flying west, and nine Chiffchaffs in the hedges. Over the reserve there were nine Little Egrets and a female Sparrowhawk, whilst there were also many Red Admirals and a few Migrant Hawkers. (CRJ)

Migrant Hawker at Medmerry (CRJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Whinchat, a Wheatear, 26 Stonechats, 50+ Meadow Pipits a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler were along the banks and fields this evening, with 50+ Swallows, a Merlin, a Raven, a Peregrine, a Buzzard and two Kestrels over, and there were also six Cattle Egrets and 14 Egyptian Geese about, too. (S&SaH)

Tuesday, 5th October: Torrential rain overnight giving way to a clear and bright day, winds still westerly F4-5

Editorial note: All submissions for the blog to be sent to bart.ives@talk21.com today. Thanks to all contributors over the past week, normal service will be resumed tomorrow!

Selsey Bill:  (0715-0915hrs) (W7) (SR/IP) Little was moving offshore again this morning but there was some "viz-mig" with a Wheatear sheltering on the beach for an hour and a few Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits passing through. A Rock Pipit also dropped onto the beach for a while (AW) 

Full log below:
Gannet - 1W
Turnstone - 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Magpie - 8
Wheatear - 1
Swallow - 133W
Pied Wagtail - 14W
Meadow Pipit - 149W
LInnet -28W
Goldfinch -22W

Common Scoter - 2W

(1630-1730hrs) (WF6) (SH)

Gannet - 6E 15os

Arctic Skua - 1E d/p

Sandwich Tern - 3W 4os

Pied Wagatil - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 12W

Swallow - 1W

Chiffchaff - 1

Goldfinch - 40

Wheatear at the Bill (SR) & Rock Pipit and Linnets (AW)

Ferry Pool: With a high water level and the strong westerly wind there was little of interest on the pool today; I counted one Greenshank, five Avocets, 27 Shoveler, seven Lapwing, four Shelduck and six Teal. A few Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler and a Linnet were along the Tramway with two Pied Wagtails and half a dozen Meadow Pipits passing overhead and a Rusty Dot Pearl Moth flew across the path. 

It was understandably quiet in the fierce wind.Later in the day there were 40 Black-tailed Godwits, another 28 lapwings and two Greenshanks. Also, a Sparrowhawk flew over the harbour and ten Swallows passed over. (SR/CRJ)

Rusty Dot Pearl moth at the Ferry (SR)

Church Norton:  A stunning male Hen Harrier flew over the harbour this evening before being mobbed by a Black-headed Gull and veering out of view over the fields. (AB)

Hen Harrier at Church Norton (AB)

Monday, 4th October: Intermittent showers throughout the day, F3-4 winds from the WSW... 

Editorial note: All submissions for the blog to be sent to bart.ives@talk21.com this week

Selsey Bill:  (0720-0850hrs) (SW3) (SR/IP) A quiet morning with just the regular species noted, log below:

Gannet - 37W

Common Scoter - 8W

Kittiwake - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 7W

auk sp. - 1E

Swallow - 71W

Yellow Wagtail - 3W

Pied Wagtail - 10W

Meadow Pipit - 157W

A Woodlark was also seen this morning. (AW)

Woodlark at the Bill (AW)

Church Norton: A Lesser Whitethroat was in the churchyard this morning as were two Goldcrests, two Jays and a decent number of Chiffchaffs. 

A Raven also went over, whilst a Greenshank was in the creek by the old horse field and a quick look at the windswept Severals found a single Whitethroat with Meadow Pipits and Swallows still heading over west. (AW)

Chiffchaff, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat & Greenshank at Church Norton (AW)

It was much quieter this afternoon but there was a Whimbrel in the harbour, presumably the wintering bird and a House Martin was with six Swallows (AW)

Whimbrel & House Martin at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: Only one Cattle Egret was seen this morning but there were 40 Black-tailed Godwits and 30 grey Plovers about and a Wheatear was along the wall. (PB)

Pagham Spit: Much the same as yesterday here: a Wheatear was in the old car park, at least ten Reed Buntings were in the gorse as was the flock of Linnets and a charm of Goldfinches was feeding nearby. The mixed wader flock were off the Spit but the harbour was again largely quiet at high water. (BI)

Wheatear & Goldfinches at Pagham Spit (BI)

Ferry Pool: The two Greenshank had returned to the back of the pool this morning in the company of five Avocets, 13 Lapwing, four Shelduck, 30 Shoveler, six Teal and ten Black-tailed Godwits. A Kestrel was in the field and a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs were calling. 

The Discovery Area pool still had a Migrant Hawker dragonfly and a Marsh Frog smiled at me from the bank. The Tramway was fairly quiet, being high tide and blustery. Four Swallows, a Pied Wagtail and half a dozen Meadow Pipits flew over, a Blackcap, a few Linnets and Chiffchaffs were in the hedges and a family of Great Crested Grebes and a Curlew were in Ferry Channel. There were also two Stonechats nearby. (SR)

Marsh Frog, Migrant Hawker Dragonfly & Curlew at the Ferry (SR)

Medmerry - Easton lane to the Stilt Pools: A Peregrine was around this evening as were two Kestrels. Thirty Meadow Pipits were seen and a Wheatear, a Cetti's Warbler and two Chiffchaffs were along the banks. Fourteen Egyptian Geese were on the Stilt Pools but, oddly, no Cattle Egrets were seen (and note just one at North Wall today...)  (SaH/SH)